Mail Order Motherhood (Brides of Beckham Book 8) Read Online Free PDF Page A

Clarence.  “Go see if you can help with our trunks.”
    Clarence hurried ahead, going to catch up with Robert and offer to help.  She watched as Albert and Clarence carefully lifted the trunk down together and carried it to an old farm wagon.  It was just like the one she’d used back home, so it was a welcome sight.  It was late September, and the weather was already nippy.  She hoped they wouldn’t be out too late that evening.
    When she reached the wagon, Albert helped her up, before climbing in beside her while the four children climbed in the back, Clarence sitting atop the trunk to better see the town.  Natalie still had her look of defiance on her face, but Clara was grateful that she was saying nothing as she sat with the other children.
    Clara looked down at her old dress, wishing she’d had time to change into one of the new ones she’d just made.  This one was gray and had seen better days.  “We’re going straight to the preacher’s house,” Albert said.  They were the first words he’d said to her, and she was almost startled to hear his deep voice.
    “Will there be time before the ceremony for me to change into a new dress?  I’d rather not get married in this one,” she said.  She wished she dared ask for a hot bath first, but she wouldn’t cause another woman that much work.
    “Then why’d you wear it?” he asked, obviously exasperated by her question.
    She looked down, staring at the tips of her shoes.  “I’ve been wearing the same dress for a week since we left Massachusetts.  I haven’t really had an opportunity to change.”
    He nodded curtly.  “We’ll ask the pastor’s wife.”  He said nothing else about how hard her journey must have been.  When they arrived, he helped her down from the wagon, and she picked up the carpet bag at her feet with her new dress in it. 
    The new dress was lavender with tiny flowers on it.  She’d thought it looked so pretty when she’d finished it the previous evening, and now she didn’t even feel like putting it on for the first time.  She was marrying an angry, unhappy man.  What had she gotten herself into?
    The children followed behind them, and she was whisked away to the pastor’s bedroom by the pastor’s wife so she could quickly change her dress.  “Thank you so much for letting me change in here.”
    Mrs. Simpson smiled at her.  “It’s no problem.  I wouldn’t want to have to marry in that dirty old dress either.”
    Clara blushed, knowing the woman couldn’t have meant the words the way they sounded.  She rushed to change her clothes and straightened her hair.  She’d have given everything she owned for a bath just then, but there was no doubt in her mind that was too much to ask.
    She hurried back into the parlor where the pastor waited with her future husband.  Was she really going to marry him?  She hurried to his side and said all the right words, her hand tucked in his.  When the pastor announced it was time for Albert to kiss his bride, she could see on his face that he’d rather do anything than press his lips to hers.  Nathan had always told her she was pretty.  Had she somehow become hideous since his death?
    He barely brushed his lips against hers before thanking the pastor and leading them all out to the wagon.  Once they were there, she removed the money she had remaining from what he’d sent and pressed it into his hand.  “We were careful and didn’t use all your money.  I want you to have what’s left.”
    He looked at her in surprise, but simply nodded and put the money into his pocket.  No other words were spoken between them during the hour long drive to the ranch.  The children talked in the back.  Several times she heard Clarence exclaim as he saw a cowboy ride past.  She didn’t turn around to see, but she was certain his face was lighting up as he talked about what he wanted to do when he grew up.
    When they pulled up to the ranch, she could see that the vegetable